The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time. Elizabeth’s captors controlled her by threatening to kill her and her family if she tried to escape.

After being held prisoner for 9 months, police safely returned Elizabeth back to her family. Elizabeth has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery programs and National legislation. Her life now is a daily demonstration that it is possible to overcome extreme adversity by not allowing your past to dictate your life’s future.

For the C-SPAN series “First Ladies: Influence and Image,” Andy Och spent over a year traveling to nearly every location that helped tell the stories of every First Lady of the United States of America.

He covered Martha Washington through Michelle Obama and visited with people and places all across the country, learning everything he could about these women before, during and after their time in the White House. He is the First Ladies Man, and he is excited to share the stories of his adventures.

Jo-Ellan Dimitrius “Reading People” - Tuesday, May 5, 2015

President of Dimitrius & Associates, a full service trial consulting firm, Jo-Ellan provides consulting for cases throughout the United States, including the recent Casey Anthony trial. In her time, she has evaluated over 10,000 jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and even judges during trial. Among her specialties,

Dr. Dimitrius advises her clients about how regular people, like those who would be on a jury, would respond to their witnesses, claims and defenses. Her astonishing ability to understand and predict the behaviors of jurors, witnesses and judges led to her being nicknamed “The Seer” by American Lawyer Magazine.

Season tickets are $60 for all four lectures. For ticket information, call 308.530.8448 or 308.530.4463. All lectures are downtown at the Neville Center for Performing Arts at 10:30 a.m.